Skip to main content

Toyo University's Summer Training Base Unveils Monument

A monument has been erected at Todoroki Sanso Lodge in Higashiagatsuma, Gunma where four-time Hakone Ekiden winner Toyo University does its summer training every August. In 1991 former alumni association president Tsuneyoshi Kosuge proposed Todoroki Sanso as a training base, and it was built with the support of Mitsutake Todoroki. Ever since then summer training camps in the lush nature surrounding Higashiagatsuma have become a regular feature of Toyo's calendar. Students at the Japan Women's University of Nutrition provide meals to the Toyo athletes under the supervision of professor Kazuhiro Uenishi as part of their practical training, creating an optimal training camp in terms of both nutrition and accommodations.

The monument at Todoroki Sanno was erected to commemorate the 100th running of the Hakone Ekiden in January this year and is engraved with the Toyo slogan "shave off another second." Head coach Toshiyuki Sakai, 48, a Toyo alum who has trained at Todoroki Sanno every year since his own student days, said, "We would like to express our sincerest thanks to Mr. Todoroki and his family for their tireless work in organizing the Toyo University team's summer training camp annually for over 30 years. The foundation laid every summer in Higashiagatsuma and Todoroki Sanno becomes the base for Hakone Ekiden victory and future Olympians."

Currently, star 4th-year Kosuke Ishida and 3rd-year Ryotaro Kishimoto who won the anchor stage at the 100th Hakone Ekiden this year, are training in Higashiagatsuma alongside coach Sakai. Every day they run the area's tough, hilly roads, and after workouts ice their legs in the clear stream that flows next to Todoroki Sanno. "This is a place where students form lifelong bonds with their teammates and create memories that they will look back fondly on for years," said coach Sakai. Waiting for them just weeks away at the end of summer is the start of the fall and winter ekiden season.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Keita Sato Joins Swoosh TC

After appearing at a Nike event on Apr. 3, U20 1500 m NR and indoor 3000 m and 5000 m NR holder Keita Sato , 22, updated his Instagram profile to announce that he is joining Nike's Swoosh TC . At the Nike event Sato said that he plans to run the 1500 m at the Apr. 11 Kanaguri Memorial Meet, then will move to the U.S. "To be successful at the global level I need to train and grow alongside world-class athletes," he said. "I have to take every day seriously in order to achieve that dream of being internationally competitive." Swoosh TC was founded last year. Its coach Mike Smith has guided many athletes to international championships, including prior to Swoosh TC's launch, with some earning medals and podium finishes under his leadership. photo © 2026 Brett Larner, all rights reserved source article: https://www.rikujyokyogi.co.jp/archives/204241/2 translated by Brett Larner
Post a Comment
Read more

Updates on Transfers

April 1 is the start of Japan's new academic and fiscal year, and there's always a wave of transfer announcements to go with it. Some notable ones yesterday: 800 m NR holder Rin Kubo skipped university to go straight to 2023 Queens Ekiden national champion Sekisui Kagaku after her graduation from Higashi Osaka Keiai H.S. Multiple NR holder Nozomi Tanaka rejoined the Toyota Jidoshokki women's team after having left it to pursue a solo pro career as a New Balance athlete. Already on the team for this fall's Nagoya Asian Games in the 10000 m, Ririka Hironaka announced a switch from her longtime home at Japan Post to the Uniqlo women's team. Collegiate marathon record holder Asahi Kuroda joined the 2026 national champion GMO corporate team after graduating from 2026 Hakone Ekiden champ Aoyama Gakuin University last week. Hakone Ekdien First Stage CR holder Rui Aoki joins the Sumitomo Denko corporate team after running his final race for 2025 Izumo Ekiden w...
Post a Comment
Read more

Weekend Track Roundup

There were 2 decently competitive meets in the Tokyo area this weekend. Saturday saw the new year's first edition of the Setagaya Time Trials meet. Takuma Akiyoshi took the men's 3000 m A-heat over his MABP Maverick teammate Festus Kiprono Cheruiyot with a 7:58.32 PB. Cheruiyot just held off 3rd-placer Nao Kurihara 7:59.92 to 8:00.02, with MABP runners taking the top 5 spots. The top 7 in the men's 5000 m A-heat all cleared 14 minutes. Still a 6-way race with 400 m to go, Tatsuya Maruyama of Komori Corp. came out on top in 13:48.49, with 5th-placer Kazuki Ishii of Yakult just over a second behind in 13:49.63. Lacking the gear to stay with them, new American marathon sensation Ethan Shuley fell back to 6th in 13:57.12 in his first-ever track 5000 m, holding off 7th-placer Daiki Nomimura of NTT Nishi Nihon who came up from behind to finish in 13:58.30. Sunday was the 59th edition of the Tokyo Big 6 meet between Waseda University , Meiji University , Hosei Univers...
Post a Comment
Read more